Newspaper delivery tube



July 31, 1962 M. MONROE 3,0

NEWSPAPER DELIVERY TUBE v Filed Oct. 16, 1959 INVENTOR.

M5405 Man/Q06.

BY M4775 50652704/ 7 k 24 H I Z5 20 .96 i,

United States Patent 3,047,213 NEWSPAPER DELIVERY TUBE Meade Monroe, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to NEA Service, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 846,977 1 Claim. (Cl. 232-17) The present invention relates to an improved tube structure of pleasing appearance adapted for use for a newspaper tube or receptacle.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a newspaper tube that will protect the newspaper placed therein from rain, snow, wind or other detrimental weather conditions while awaiting removal by the householder.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a newspaper receiving tube that will overcome the defects that exist in the tubes now being used.

Further, it is an object to provide such a tube into which the newspaper may be placed with a minimum of effort by the deliverer because of the low degree of friction between the tube and the newspaper.

Another object of the invention resides in the opening at the partly-closed end of the tube to permit the newspaper subscriber to determine whether the paper has been delivered without leaving his house while the said partly-closed portion of the tube aifords protection to the newspaper from the inclement weather.

A further object of the invention resides in the improved drainage to dispose of rain water, melting snow and the like that may find its way into the tube.

Another object of the invention is a newspaper tube formed in a single mold operation which will withstand extremes of temperature, chemical fumes in the air, snow removal chemicals, salt air, rust and corrosion and physical abuse to which it may be subjected and having a resulting long life period, and requiring a minimum of maintenance throughout such period.

Another object of the invention is the provision for a raised, flat or horizontal portion of the bottom surface of the tube having ribs thereon to facilitate the desired drainage from the interior and exterior of said tube re sulting from rain, ice and snow, and the like, when the tube is affixed to the bracket.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in a structure which is economic of manufacture and maintenance as well as efficient of use.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing, and the manner in which all the various objects are realized will appear in the following description, which considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tube showing the bracket and the open front end of the tube;

'FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tube showing the partly-closed rear end of the tube; v

FIG. 3 is a detail in plan view of the raised-ribbed bottom portion on an enlarged scale showing the ribs and drainage openings;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the improved newspaper delivery tube may be made of plastic, such as polyethylene or other materials that are suitable for molding and weather resistant. It consists of two principal parts, i.e. the molded elongated tube member generally rectangular in cross-section, and the mounting bracket member 11. v

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be seen the said tube 10 includes an open front end 12 and a slightly smaller, partly-closed rear end 13 which may best be seen by referring to FIG. 2 of the drawing. The said rear end 13 is positioned so as to form a right angle with the bottom wall 15 of the tube 10 and has an arcuate opening 14 therein adjacent the said bottom wall 15.

The said tube 10 has side walls 16 and 17 respectively, and a top wall 18 thereof that converge slightly from said open end 12 toward the partly closed rear end 13.

The bottom wall 15 has a rectangular-raised ribbed portion 19 located midway its length and width adapted to receive the bracket 11. The ribbed portion 19 comprises downwardly-raised parallel spaced apart ribs 19a and has apertures as at 20 so that bolts such as 22 may be used to secure the tube 10 to the bracket 11 which has similarly placed apertures as at 21. The bracket 11 has other apertures as at 23 so that bolts or screws (not shown) may be used to secure the bracket 11 to a supporting object (not shown).

Centrally of said ribbed portion 19 and adjacent to the sides thereof are circular drainage openings 24 having downwardly raised edges 25 in the tube. Said drainage openings 24 will permit the escape of any water that may have found its way into the interior floor or bottom of the tube. It will be seen that water running down the outer surface of the tube will drip from the raised edges 25 and not move upward by capillary attraction within the said drainage openings 24 and wet the newspaper.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

What is claimed is:

A newspaper delivery tube comprising a one-piece molded plastic elongated hollow body member generally rectangular in cross section, open at one end and partly closed at the other end; the said partly closed end having an arcuate opening adjacent the bottom wall of said body, the top wall and side walls of said body converging slightly from said open end toward said partly closed end, the said bottom wall having an integral rectangular raised portion centrally located on its outer surface to define thereat a bracket seat, the lower surface of said raised portion being provided with ribs spaced apart to permit water drainage from the surface of said bracket seat, circular drainage openings located upon and adjacent said raised portion, said drainage openings being provided with downwardly raised edges, spaced openings in said bracket seat and a bracket for attaching said tube to a supporting member having complementary openings therein for attaching said tube to said bracket.

References Cited in the 116 of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 462,224 Strong Oct. 27, 1891 896,532 Harper Aug. 18, 1908 1,654,364 'Crimmel Dec. 27, 1927 2,443,690 Mitchell June 22, 1948 2,452,667 Lambert Nov. 2, 1948. 2,709,038 Marcus May 24, 1955 2,845,217 Jacques July 29, 1958 2,873,062 Cornell Feb. 10, 1959 

